Comparative analysis of online dictionaries in the context of the digital transformation of education Andrey V. Pikilnyak1, Nadia M. Stetsenko2, Volodymyr P. Stetsenko2, Tetiana V. Bondarenko2 and Halyna V. Tkachuk2 1Kryvyi Rih National University, 11 Vitalii Matusevych Str., Kryvyi Rih, 50027, Ukraine 2Pavlo Tychyna Uman State Pedagogical University, 2 Sadova Str., Uman, 20300, Ukraine Abstract The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of popular online dictionaries and an overview of the main tools of these resources to study a language. The use of dictionaries in learning a foreign language is an important step to understanding the language. The effectiveness of this process increases with the use of online dictionaries, which have a lot of tools for improving the educational process. Based on the Alexa Internet resource it was found the most popular online dictionaries: Cambridge Dictionary, Wordreference, Merriam–Webster, Wiktionary, TheFreeDictionary, Dictionary.com, Glosbe, Collins Dictionary, Longman Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary. As a result of the deep analysis of these online dictionaries, we found out they have the next standard functions like the word explanations, transcription, audio pronounce, semantic connections, and examples of use. In propose dictionaries, we also found out the additional tools of learning foreign languages (mostly English) that can be effective. In general, we described sixteen functions of the online platforms for learning that can be useful in learning a foreign language. We have compiled a comparison table based on the next functions: machine translation, multilingualism, a video of pronunciation, an image of a word, discussion, collaborative edit, the rank of words, hints, learning tools, thesaurus, paid services, sharing content, hyperlinks in a definition, registration, lists of words, mobile version, etc. Based on the additional tools ofonline dictionaries we created a diagram that shows the functionality of analyzed platforms. Keywords online dictionary, electronic dictionary, English, education, tools of English learning 1. Introduction The problem of digitalization of education is a topical theme for discussions [1]. The solution to these problems will contribute to the creation of conditions for the update of forms, tools, systems, technologies, and methods of teaching disciplines and the sharing of knowledge. Digital transformation as a global trend of the modern world contributes to the integration of Ukrainian education into the European Education Area [2, 3, 4, 5]. The change of paper-based data into electronic-based is an indisputable example of the digital transformation in education that is still in the process. CTE 2020: 8th Workshop on Cloud Technologies in Education, December 18, 2020, Kryvyi Rih, Ukraine " [email protected] (A. V. Pikilnyak); [email protected] (N. M. Stetsenko); [email protected] (V. P. Stetsenko); [email protected] (T. V. Bondarenko); [email protected] (H. V. Tkachuk) 0000-0003-0898-4756 (A. V. Pikilnyak); 0000-0002-9802-6529 (N. M. Stetsenko); 0000-0003-2232-2089 (V. P. Stetsenko); 0000-0001-9330-9661 (T. V. Bondarenko); 0000-0002-6926-1589 (H. V. Tkachuk) © 2020 Copyright for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). CEUR http://ceur-ws.org Workshop ISSN 1613-!!" Proceedings CEUR Workshop Proceedings (CEUR-WS.org) 70 In general, use of dictionaries for learning and interpretation of terms is relevant in the study of foreign languages. When using a dictionary, the students can expand their vocabulary, to find the meaning of a word, to build an associative series of terms, to improve the pronunciation, to avoid monotony in learning English. The digitalization of education has created the conditions for the transformation of paper dictionaries into electronic-based [6] and the development of electronic tools for teaching a foreign language in general [7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]. When digital technologies began to develop the previously existing monopoly on knowledge has disappeared. Now everyone can use the knowledge and create it. This provides the main trends in education – free access to education and using open resources [13, 14]. In many developed countries, paper dictionaries were replaced by online counterparts that become an integral element of the educational process. To increase its competitiveness publish houses like Longman, Cambridge, Chambers, Oxford made electronic versions of many printed publications and develop online services for English education. Nowadays these platforms are sources of learning information and include a lot of educational functions. Of course, online dictionaries more functionality than paper-based. They can have functions like to search, listen to the pronunciation, view examples including multimedia, get professional advice, make your own word list, etc. 2. Related works An analysis of recent research and publications indicate that the problem of online dictionar- ies in the context of the digital transformation of education is attracting the attention of a lot of researchers. Ranka Stanković, Cvetana Krstev, Biljana Lazić and Mihailo Škorić have considered transformation electronic dictionaries - from file system to based lexical database [15]; Rastislav Metruk researched the use of electronic dictionaries for pronunciation practice by university students [16]; Anna Dziemianko investigated on the usefulness of paper and electronic dictionaries [17]; Sameer Naser Olimat found out the positive and negative impact of technology and information revolution on compiling the dictionary [18]; Robert Lew researched and classified the online dictionaries of English19 [ ]; Amy Chi gave a review of Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (6th edition) and found out whether the dictionary satisfies the needs and expectations of the users [20]. Christian M. Meyer and Iryna Gurevych explored the possibilities of collaborative lexicography by using Wiktionary [21]; Dikshit Kumar, Agam Kumar, Man Singh, Archana Patel and Sarika Jain clarified the difference between all existing online dictionaries and thesauruses by using an effective parameter [22]; Rezaei Mojtaba and Davoudi Mohammad found out the influence of electronic dictionaries on vocabulary knowl- edge extension [23]; Dmytro Pryimak found out the main mistakes of online dictionaries in the context of incomplete information, providing incorrect translations, and using incorrect lexical and grammatical constructions [24]; Ilona Kostikova highlighted the theoretical underpinnings of the efficiency of using electronic dictionaries at English lessons [25]. The above-mentioned authors have made a significant contribution to the theory and prac- tice of using online dictionaries to learn a foreign language. The works mention individual dictionary resources, describe their functions, but we do not find a comparative analysis of 71 online dictionaries. Thus, the main purpose of our research is a comparative analysis of online dictionaries and education tools for learning a foreign (mostly English) language on these platforms. 3. Analysis of functionalities online platforms of dictionaries In our research, we use the term is “online dictionary”, because the systems presented in this article are positioned themselves as dictionaries. In addition, the main function of these systems is the translation of words. However, analysis of their functionality indicates that they are not just online dictionaries, but platforms in which various tools for learning a foreign language are implemented. So, we use also term is “online platform”. The key condition for the digitalization of education is a demand for education digital technologies and their use by users. We found out the demand for online dictionaries by users and selected 10 ranking online dictionaries. The measuring was by using the Alexa Internet resource (table1). The rank is calculated using a combination of average daily visitors to this site and pageviews on this site over the past 3 months. The site with the highest combination of visitors and pageviews is ranked number 1. This table shows the Alexa Rank trend for this site over a trailing 90 days. The most popular are the Cambridge Dictionary, Wordreference, Merriam–Webster, Wiktionary, TheFreeDictionary.com, etc. Table 1 The estimate of the site’s popularity (Alexa Rank at 11.10.2020) Name Address Rank Cambridge Dictionary dictionary.cambridge.org 350 Wordreference wordreference.com 518 Merriam–Webster www.merriam–webster.com 605 Wiktionary www.wiktionary.org 707 TheFreeDictionary.com www.thefreedictionary.com 771 Dictionary.com www.dictionary.com 791 Collins Dictionary www.collinsdictionary.com 2313 Glosbe glosbe.com 2606 Longman Dictionary www.ldoceonline.com 3173 Oxford Learner’s Dictionary www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com 3908 To detect the features of the use of online dictionaries in the study of a foreign language, we made a comparative analysis of their education functions (table2). We didn’t analyze positions like the definition of a word, the transcription, audio pronounce of the word, the example of semantic connections, and example of use, as they are standard functions and implemented on all online translation platforms. Let’s review the functions of the online platforms for learning that can be useful in learning a foreign language. Translator. Provides for the presence on the site of a machine translation system (like Google’s free service for translate).